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“In this election season, any reference to tax increase, especially for a conservative Republican, is toxic,” Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.), one of the sponsors of the House bill, told POLITICO.

In recent months, Republican governors have joined some Democratic counterparts in voicing support for a federal bill, sometimes as they announced deals in their states to open Amazon distribution centers or an agreement with Amazon to begin collecting sales tax at a future date.

Most recently, Gov. Terry Branstad of Iowa wrote to Sens. Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin, both of Iowa, advocating for the Senate bill.

Other GOP governors who have spoken in support are Chris Christie of New Jersey and Brian Sandoval of Nevada. “Support from Republican governors like Chris Christie has been a game changer,” said Jason Brewer with the Retail Industry Leaders Association. “They effectively swat away the false assertion that this is some sort of new tax.”

Conservative lawmakers have other concerns. One is whether supporting the bill is in violation of the Americans for Tax Reform’s no new taxes pledge, something many Republicans have signed. The organization has yet to make a determination about whether support is in violation.

But Kelly William Cobb, government affairs manager at ATR, said that “states with Republican governors like New Jersey, Virginia and Nevada did not act to raise taxes on all online sales. They simply worked with companies who were going to be physically based in their states to collect sales taxes. This is wholly different than the federal Internet tax bills, which would dissolve this physical nexus requirement and allow states to reach across their borders to collect sales tax.”

Despite the ATR’s position, when Womack meets with his conservative colleagues, he said they understand that this isn’t a tax increase but a states’ rights issue.

“They are looking for cover so they aren’t perceived as supporting a tax increase. I understand it,” said Womack, who is a former mayor of Rogers, Ark., and a self-described conservative. His argument to them is that the bill itself is sound policy and provides conservatives cover — it promotes free-market solutions, it is a states’ rights issue and it will help local governments not raise sales tax, he said.

I would've believed you a year ago but look at how a penalty was spun as a tax for Obamacare... anything is possible in this day and age. But yes, it is a tax and it will be sold as "unfair" because online retailers don't have to collect tax (in most instances) and brick-and-mortar stores do (in all instances).